Vice Adm. Christopher Grady is a native of Newport, Rhode Island. He is a graduate of the University of Notre Dame and was commissioned an ensign through the Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps program. Grady is a distinguished graduate of Georgetown University where he earned a Master of Arts in National Security Studies while concurrently participating as a fellow in Foreign Service at the Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service. He is also a distinguished graduate of the National War College earning a Master of Science in National Security Affairs.

Grady’s initial sea tour was aboard USS Moosbrugger (DD 980) where he served as combat information center officer and antisubmarine warfare officer. As a department head, he served as weapons control officer and combat systems officer in USS Princeton (CG 59). He was commanding officer of Mine Counter Measure Rotational Crew Echo in USS Chief (MCM 14), and deployed to the Arabian Gulf in command of USS Ardent (MCM 12). Grady then commanded USS Cole (DDG 67) deploying as part of NATO’s Standing Naval Forces Mediterranean. He then commanded Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 22 deploying to the Arabian Gulf as sea combat commander for the Theodore Roosevelt Carrier Strike Group (TRCSG) in support of Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom.

Ashore, Grady first served on the staff of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and then as naval aide to the chief of naval operations. He also served on the staff of the chief of naval operations as assistant branch head, Europe and Eurasia Politico-Military Affairs Branch (OPNAV N524). He then served as executive assistant to the Navy’s Chief of Legislative Affairs. Next, he served as the deputy executive secretary of the National Security Council in the White House. He then went on to serve as the executive assistant to the chief of naval operations.

Grady’s flag assignments include the Director of the Maritime Operations Center (N2/3/5/7), Commander, U.S. Pacific Fleet; Commander, Carrier Strike Group (CSG) 1 and the Carl Vinson Carrier Strike Group where he deployed for nearly ten months to the Western Pacific and the Arabian Gulf conducting combat operations in support of Operation Inherent Resolve. He was then commander, Naval Surface Force Atlantic.|

His personal awards include the Defense Superior Service Medal, Legion of Merit with four gold stars, Meritorious Service Medal with three gold stars, Joint Service Commendation Medal, Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal with three gold stars, and the Combat "V" and Joint Service Achievement Medal. Grady is a joint specialty officer.